Tag Archives: Kyoji Horiguchi

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rizin FF, Showtime

NO. 10-RANKED BELLATOR LIGHTWEIGHT GADZHI RABADANOV WILL REPRESENT THE PROMOTION AT THE HISTORICAL BELLATOR MMA VS. RIZIN EVENT AGAINST JAPAN’S KOJI TAKEDA ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

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Los Angeles — BELLATOR MMA has announced that its fifth participant for the New Year’s Eve spectacle against RIZIN Fighting Federation opponents will be No. 10-ranked lightweight, Gadzhi Rabadanov (18-4-2), taking on 27-year-old Japanese standout Koji Takeda (15-3) in a compelling matchup between two competitors riding high on the strength of consecutive victories.

A first-of-its-kind blockbuster co-promotion, BELLATOR MMA vs. RIZIN takes place inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday, December 31, and can be seen in the United States on SHOWTIME at 8 p.m. ET/PT on New Year’s Eve.

Rabadanov versus Takeda will join a star-studded five-fight BELLATOR MMA vs. RIZIN main card, which is stacked from top to bottom with current and former champions competing in the four-sided ring under RIZIN’s unique rules. Headlining the event will be a dream matchup between RIZIN lightweight champion Roberto “Satoshi” de Souza (14-1) against No. 3 BELLATOR pound-for-pound talent AJ “Mercenary” McKee (19-1), with BELLATOR and RIZIN featherweight champions Patricio Pitbull (34-5) and Kleber Koike (31-5-1) co-headlining the must-see event.

Former BELLATOR champions Juan “The Spaniard” Archuleta (26-4) and Kyoji Horiguchi (30-5) will round out the unparalleled main card, facing off with RIZIN’s Soo Chul Kim (18-6-1) and Hiromasa Ougikubo (25-6-2), respectively.

Gadzhi Rabadanov, 29, signed with BELLATOR in 2021 after capturing the Eagle FC lightweight title, and has made an immediate impact on the promotion’s remarkably deep lightweight division. He announced his arrival in thunderous fashion at BELLATOR 263 with an emphatic viral knockout of Daniel Carey, which he followed up with back-to-back dominant unanimous decision victories over Jay Jay Wilson and Bobby King in 2022. The product of the renowned Club Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s School in Dagestan and the prestigious American Kickboxing Academy, Rabadanov’s pedigree is world-class. On New Year’s Eve, Rabadanov will look to continue building upon his momentum with an impressive performance against Koji Takeda.

“It is a childhood dream come true to fight in Japan at the legendary Saitama Super Arena,” said Rabadanov. “I’m very excited and I know I have a tough opponent, who always leaves everything in the ring. Expect a masterpiece from me, it will be a memorable fight.”

A former DEEP lightweight champion, Japan’s Koji Takeda has been an active fighter since his 2017 professional debut. Takeda boasts a compelling case for inclusion on this historic fight card, winning seven of his last ten and three of his last four outings under the RIZIN and DEEP banners. Takeda is also familiar with BELLATOR foes; he has previously fought Spike Carlyle and submitted Zach Zane by armbar, both of whom fought recently for the Scott Coker-led promotion. Takeda will look to add a third straight win to his resume against the highly-touted Rabadanov in his hometown of Saitama, Japan, on December 31.

BELLATOR MMA VS. RIZIN MAIN CARD:

SHOWTIME

Saturday, December 31 — 8 PM ET/PT

Lightweight Non-Title Main Event: AJ McKee (19-1) vs. Roberto de Souza (14-1)

Featherweight Non-Title Main Event: Patricio Pitbull (34-5) vs. Kleber Koike (31-5-1)

Bantamweight Feature Bout: Juan Archuleta (26-4) vs. Soo Chul Kim (18-6-1)

Flyweight Feature Bout: Kyoji Horiguchi (30-5) vs. Hiromasa Ougikubo (25-6-2)

Lightweight Feature Bout: Gadzhi Rabadanov (18-4-2) vs. Koji Takeda (15-3)

For more information on this and other upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, visit Bellator.com.

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events – click links for updated fight cards


Fri. Nov. 18 // BELLATOR 288: Nemkov vs. Anderson 2 / Pitbull vs. Nurmagomedov // Wintrust Arena // Chicago, Il.


Fri. Dec. 9 // BELLATOR 289: Stots vs. Sabatello // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, Conn.

Sat. Dec. 31 // BELLATOR MMA vs. RIZIN // Saitama Super Arena // Tokyo, Japan


Fri. Feb. 24 //BELLATOR: DUBLIN // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA RETURNS TO OAHU FOR AN EXPLOSIVE TWO-NIGHT DOUBLEHEADER APRIL 22-23

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SATURDAY, APRIL 23 – BELLATOR 279 
BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX QUARTERFINALS
Champion Sergio Pettis vs. Raufeon Stots
Patchy Mix vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
 
PLUS, BELLATOR FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Champion Cris Cyborg vs. Arlene Blencowe 2
 And Hawaii’s Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Justine Kish
 
DETAILS FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 22 TO BE ANNOUNCED
 
LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA has announced its return to the Hawaiian island of Oahu, where Honolulu’s Neal S. Blaisdell Arena will play home to an extremely stacked duo of events on back-to-back nights Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23.
 
Friday night’s BELLATOR 278 will be a special event free for current military, veterans, and first responders. Matchups and additional details for the event will be announced shortly.
 
Saturday night’s BELLATOR 279 will feature the launch of the highly anticipated one-million-dollar BELLATOR Bantamweight World Grand Prix. The headliner will see current bantamweight world champion Sergio Pettis (22-5) take on No. 3-ranked Raufeon Stots (17-1), while the co-main event features a rematch between the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time, Cris Cyborg (25-2, 1 NC) and Australia’s No. 1-ranked Arlene Blencowe (15-8), who will look to claim gold in her third attempt at a world title.
 
Saturday’s BELLATOR 279: Pettis vs. Stots / Cyborg vs. Blencowe 2 will air live on SHOWTIME at 4:30 p.m. HST local time, 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. The preliminary fights will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 2 p.m. HST local time, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
 
Tickets for Saturday night’s BELLATOR 279: Pettis vs. Stots / Cyborg vs. Blencowe 2 go on sale this Friday, March 11 and can be purchased through Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com or the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena Box Office. A special presale will take place on Thursday, March 10.
 
Also scheduled for a return to action, Honolulu’s own former Women’s Flyweight World Champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-1) will return home to compete against Justine Kish (7-5) as the No. 1 ranked women’s flyweight looks to start her journey back to a world title in the same arena two of the most memorable BELLATOR main events in recent memory took place. Opening the four-fight main card is another BELLATOR Bantamweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal matchup between No. 2-ranked bantamweight Patchy Mix (15-1) and former BELLATOR and Rizin Bantamweight World Champion Kyoji Horiguchi (29-4).
 
Current BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion Sergio “The Phenom” Pettis sits at No. 7 on the promotion’s pound-for-pound list. He successfully defended his belt for the first time against former BELLATOR 135-pound titleholder Kyoji Horiguchi with a “knockout of the year” style finish at BELLATOR 272 in December. The hard-hitting Midwesterner out of Milwaukee originally captured the crown by outpointing former champion Juan Archuleta. The younger brother of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis will be in for one of the toughest fights of his career when he takes on Raufeon Stots. Stots, who used to train alongside Pettis for several years, has been flawless since making his promotion debut in December 2019. He most recently scored a dominant unanimous decision victory over Magomed Magomedov at BELLATOR 264.
 
Featherweight world champion and top-ranked women’s pound-for-pound fighter Cris “Cyborg” has made three straight title defenses including a second-round submission of Arlene Blencowe in 2020, which surprisingly is the lone submission victory of her storied career. The Brazilian native who currently fights out of Las Vegas, Nev. is a “Grand Slam Champion” having won belts in four different organizations. She sports 20 wins by finish with victories over elite competition including Holly Holm, Leslie Smith (twice), Gina Carano and aims to further her legacy as the greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time in the rematch versus Blencowe. Australia’s Blencowe is BELLATOR’s No. 6 pound-for-pound female fighter and the No. 1 ranked featherweight. She has won five of her last six fights and earned her shot at the world title rematch with a unanimous decision over Pam Sorenson at BELLATOR 271 in November.
 
Currently BELLATOR’s No. 2 ranked bantamweight, Patchy Mix recently defeated James Gallagher via submission in his last outing at BELLATOR 270 in Dublin. Mix has made a name for himself in the BELLATOR cage by displaying impressive submissions and his lone professional loss came to former champion Juan Archuleta. He now faces Horiguchi, another former world champion who hails from Takasaki, Japan. The American Top Team prodigy Horiguchi became a simultaneous, two-promotion champion in 2019 after he upset then-BELLATOR champion Darrion Caldwell while also holding the RIZIN Championship. After he was forced to relinquish his BELLATOR title due to an injury, Horiguchi nearly got his hands back on BELLATOR’s title but was stopped by current champion Sergio Pettis in December. The No. 5 ranked bantamweight now aims to get back in the winning column and recapture his belt, along with the million-dollar prize that awaits the winner of the BELLATOR Bantamweight World Grand Prix.           
 
BELLATOR MMA 279: Pettis vs. Stots / Cyborg vs. Blencowe 2 Main Card:
Saturday, April 23 – live on SHOWTIME
10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. HST (local)
 
Bantamweight World Title Bout: C-Sergio Pettis (22-5) vs. #3-Raufeon Stots (17-1)
Featherweight World Title Bout: C-Cris “Cyborg” (25-2, 1 NC) vs. #1-Arlene Blencowe (15-8)
Flyweight Bout: #1-Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-1) vs. Justine Kish (7-5)
Bantamweight World Grand Prix Bout: #2-Patchy Mix (15-1) vs. #5-Kyoji Horiguchi (29-4)
 
*Card subject to change.
 
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
 
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Full Fight Night Results, Quotes & Photos For BELLATOR MMA 272: Pettis vs. Horiguchi

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Complete Fight Night Photos Here – Please Credit: BELLATOR MMA
 
C-Sergio Pettis (22-5) defeated Kyoji Horiguchi (29-4) via KO (spinning backfist) at 3:24 of round four
 
Sergio Pettis: “I came out here and got beaten up for four rounds. When it happened, I was just like, ‘Man I am losing this fight. I’ve got to do something spectacular.’ It (the decisive punch that ended the fight) came at the right time.”
 
“I needed to face some adversity, and tonight Horiguchi gave me all of that. It was hard trying to time his rhythm, trying to get his movement down.”
 
“My coaches always tell me, ‘If you open up, you could be one of the best in the world.’ That what I’m pushing for.”
 
#9-Jeremy Kennedy (17-3, 1 NC) defeated #4-Emmanuel Sanchez (20-7) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
 
Jeremy Kennedy: “I can’t seem to find it. My coaches got mad at me in my last fight. I’ve got an atomic bomb. That’s what my coach said. It’s a 100-mile (per hour) fastball.  I’ve got to use it. Last fight, I didn’t. I wanted to try and mix it up, change my style.  I was competitive, but I had to get back to my roots.” 
 
“I would have liked to have mixed it up a bit more, but (Emmanuel) Sanchez is in your face the whole time. It was hard to dictate that calculated range. He just came right at me.”
 
“I put a lot of pressure on myself. I had a close friend pass away. He was in my corner for my last few fights.  I didn’t want to go home with a loss. I didn’t want to take any extra chance. I wanted to win every single exchange. I wanted to win every second, every moment of this fight. I didn’t care what that looked like. I had to get the ‘w.’ “
 
“Next time, I am going to get back to having fun and find that happy medium. This one is for Boom. I had to get my hand raised at all costs. I wasn’t coming out of this without a win.”
 
#7-Josh Hill (21-4) defeated Jared Scoggins (10-2) via KO (punch) at :56 of round two
 
Josh Hill: “This one was about timing. We knew the first round would be hard to get that timing down. He (Jared Scoggins) was very jumpy, in and out. That (punch that ended the fight) was right on the button.”
 
“I belong there (in the Bellator MMA World Grand Prix). I know this division is stacked, so I understand (why he wasn’t included). I want in. If there are any injuries or pull outs, I’m your man.”
 
“I saw him (Scoggins) go down and knew he was out. There was no point to keep going.”
 
“He (Scoggins) is very traditional, karate-esque. My coach and I worked on timing quite a bit. I knew the first round might be a little tricky. I landed a punch in the first, but it wasn’t on the money. The one in the second (that ended the fight) was.”
 
#5-Johnny Eblen (10-0) defeated Collin Huckbody (10-4) via TKO (punches) at 1:11 of round one
 
Johnny Eblen: “I wanted to send that dude (Huckbody) to the metaverse. Sadly, I could not do that tonight. I was I could have put on a better show, but it is what it is.”
 
“John Salter, I signed a bout agreement to fight you in Florida, but you [expletive withheld] out. I don’t know if you got hurt, or you [expletive withheld] out. But I want to see you in this [expletive withheld] cage, John.  Let’s gear up and let’s get after it.”
 
PRELIMINARY CARD:
Alexander Shabliy (21-3) defeated Bobby King (10-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Kai Kamaka III (9-4-1) defeated John de Jesus (14-10) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Levan Chokheli (10-1, 1 NC) defeated Vinicius de Jesus (9-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Justin Montalvo (4-0) defeated Jacob Bohn (10-8) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Mike Hamel (8-5) defeated Killys Mota (12-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Spike Carlyle (13-3) defeated Dan Moret (15-7) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:58 of round three
Kyle Crutchmer (8-1) defeated #10-Oliver Enkamp (10-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
 
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA Confirms Full Fight Card for BELLATOR MMA 272: Pettis vs. Horiguchi on SHOWTIME This Friday, Dec. 3 at 10 P.M. ET/PTBELLATOR MMA Confirms Full Fight Card for BELLATOR MMA 272: Pettis vs. Horiguchi on SHOWTIME This Friday, Dec. 3 at 10 P.M. ET/PT

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BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE IS ON THE LINE AS BELLATOR CLOSES OUT THE YEAR AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA WITH A FLURRY OF ACTION-PACKED FIGHTS

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LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA has confirmed the full fight card for BELLATOR MMA 272: Pettis vs Horiguchi card at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The event puts a stamp on the 2021 calendar year and is set to begin on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

The stacked preliminary card will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

In the main event of the evening, current BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion Sergio Pettis (21-5) puts his belt on the line against former BELLATOR 135-pound titleholder and current RIZIN champion Kyoji Horiguchi (29-3). The co-main event features former featherweight world title challenger No. 4-ranked Emmanuel Sanchez (20-6) versus former UFC standout and No. 9-ranked Jeremy Kennedy (16-3, 1 NC).

Also anchoring the main card will be a bantamweight bout between UFC veteran Jared Scoggins (10-1) and No. 7-ranked Josh Hill (20-4), as well as undefeated American Top Team-product, and No. 5-ranked middleweight Johnny Eblen (9-0), who looks to protect his unblemished record against BELLATOR newcomer Collin Huckbody (10-3).

With seven thrilling fights in total, the BELLATOR MMA 272 preliminary card is highlighted by a pair of welterweight contests between Swedish submission specialist No. 10-ranked Oliver Enkamp (10-2) and former Oklahoma State University wrestling standout Kyle Crutchmer (7-1) as well as Levan Chokheli (9-1, 1 NC) and Vinicius de Jesus (9-4).

Hawaii’s Kai Kamaka III (8-4-1) returns to the Scott Coker-led promotion, as he prepares for battle with John de Jesus (14-9) in featherweight action, while Dan Moret (15-6) and Spike Carlyle (12-3) meet in a 160-lb contract weight matchup.

Three additional lightweight matchups have also been announced with Russian sensation Alexander Shabliy (20-3) taking on Utah’s Bobby King (10-3), Killys Mota (12-2) battling Mike Hamel (8-5), and Justin Montalvo (3-0) squaring up with Jacob Bohn (10-7)

Tickets for BELLATOR MMA 272 are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

Full bout listings are below:

BELLATOR MMA 272: PETTIS VS. HORIGUCHI MAIN CARD:

Friday, Dec. 3 – live on SHOWTIME

10 p.m. ET/PT 

Bantamweight World Title bout: C-Sergio Pettis (21-5) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (29-3)

Featherweight bout: #4-Emmanuel Sanchez (20-6) vs. #9-Jeremy Kennedy (16-3, 1 NC)

Bantamweight bout: Josh Hill (20-4) vs. Jared Scoggins (10-1)

Middleweight bout: #5-Johnny Eblen (9-0) vs. Collin Huckbody (10-3)

PRELIMINARY CARD:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV 

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT 

Lightweight bout: Alexander Shabliy (20-3) vs. Bobby King (10-3)

Featherweight bout: John de Jesus (14-9) vs. Kai Kamaka III (8-4-1)

Welterweight bout: Levan Chokheli (9-1, 1 NC) vs. Vinicius de Jesus (9-4)

Lightweight bout: Justin Montalvo (3-0) vs. Jacob Bohn (10-7)

Lightweight bout: Killys Mota (12-2) vs. Mike Hamel (8-5)

160-Pound Contract Weight bout: Dan Moret (15-6) vs. Spike Carlyle (12-3)

Welterweight bout: #10-Oliver Enkamp (10-2) vs. Kyle Crutchmer (7-1)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Fri. Dec. 3 // BELLATOR 272: Pettis vs. Horiguchi // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, CT

Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR 222: MACDONALD VS. GRACIE MAIN CARD SET WITH SIX BOUTS

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FULL FIGHT CARD ANNOUNCED FOR MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NYC THIS FRIDAY – AIRING EXCLUSIVELY ON DAZN

NEW YORK – The line-up for the highly anticipated Bellator 222: MacDonald vs. Gracie event has been completed with two title fights and 18 electric bouts in total filling out Bellator’s return to Madison Square Garden this Friday, June 14 – only on DAZN. The star-studded card is headlined by a double main event that will see a Welterweight World Grand Prix semi-final matchup between current Bellator welterweight world champion Rory MacDonald (20-5-1) defending his title against the unbeaten Renzo Gracie-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Neiman Gracie (9-0), as well as two of the sport’s biggest names in Lyoto Machida (25-8) and Chael Sonnen (31-16-1) finally meeting after years of parallel careers in the MMA world.


 
The main card of Bellator 222 will stream live exclusively on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action begins at 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST and will also stream onDAZN or globally on the Bellator Mobile App.


 
Limited tickets remain available and can be purchased online from Ticketmaster.com, MSG.com and Bellator.com.


 
The DAZN-streamed main card also features Darrion Caldwell (13-2) defending his Bellator bantamweight world title against Rizin Fighting Federation’s bantamweight championKyoji Horiguchi (27-2) in a true “champion vs. champion” matchup, following a Horiguchi submission victory when the two met in Rizin’s ring this past December in Japan, as well as a 175-pound catchweight contest between polarizing grappling ace Dillon Danis (1-0) and Max Humphrey (3-2). Additionally, fans will see an intriguing featherweight bout featuring former Bellator 135-pound champion Eduardo Dantas (21-6) making the leap to 145-pounds in an attempt to hand Juan Archuleta (21-1) the first loss of his Bellator career, while Ricky Bandejas (11-2) welcomes unbeaten Patrick Mix (10-0) at bantamweight.


 
Preliminary action for Bellator 222 is also must-see and features many of Bellator’s rising stars. Those who tune in will see bouts highlighted by Aaron Pico (4-2) versus Adam Borics (12-0) at 145-pounds, as well as a second inter-promotional contest pitting Rena of Rizin (8-2) against Lindsay VanZandt (5-1) in a 112-pound catchweight fight. Bellator 222will also see the return of “The Heat” to MSG, when world champion boxer Heather Hardy (2-1) faces Taylor Turner (3-5) at flyweight. Familiar faces in Mike Kimbel (2-1), Robson Gracie Jr. (1-0) and Haim Gozali (10-6) will all also compete, while former The Ultimate Fighter participant Phil Hawes (4-2) will make his promotional debut. Lastly, it was recently announced that undefeated Taekwondo Master Valerie Loureda (1-0) will make her sophomore appearance when she welcomes Larkyn Dasch (0-1) to the Bellator cage on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.


 
Bellator 222 Main Card:

Welterweight World Grand Prix Semifinal Title Bout: Rory MacDonald (20-5-1) vs. Neiman Gracie (9-0)

Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event Bout: Lyoto Machida (25-8) vs. Chael Sonnen (31-16-1)

175-Pound Catchweight Bout: Dillon Danis (1-0) vs. Max Humphrey (3-2)

Bantamweight Bout: Ricky Bandejas (11-2) vs. Patrick Mix (10-0)

Featherweight Bout: Eduardo Dantas (21-6) vs. Juan Archuleta (22-1)

Bantamweight World Title Bout: Darrion Caldwell (13-2) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (27-2)

 

Undercard:

Featherweight Bout: Aaron Pico (4-2) vs. Adam Borics (12-0)

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Heather Hardy (2-1) vs. Taylor Turner (3-5)

Women’s Flyweight Bout: Valerie Loureda (1-0) vs. Larkyn Dasch (0-1)

Welterweight Bout: Robson Gracie Jr. (1-0) vs. Oscar Vera (Pro Debut)

Bantamweight Bout: Mike Kimbel (2-1) vs. Sebastian Ruiz (2-2)

175-Pound Catchweight Bout: Haim Gozali (10-6) vs. Gustavo Wurlitzer (22-22, 1 NC)

Women’s 112-Pound Catchweight Bout: Rena Kubota (8-2) vs. Lindsay VanZandt (5-1)

Middleweight Bout: Phil Hawes (4-2) vs. Michael Wilcox (6-3)

Lightweight Bout: Marcus Surin (5-1) vs. Nekruz Mirkhojaev (4-2)

Flyweight Bout: Brandon Medina (Pro Debut) vs. Brandon Polcare (1-2)

165-Pound Catchweight Bout: Kastriot Xhema (2-3) vs. Whitney Jean Francois (2-6-1)

Featherweight Bout: John Beneduce (2-2) vs. Kenny Rivera (2-1)


 
*Card subject to change

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rizin FF

BELLATOR SENDS BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION DARRION CALDWELL TO JAPAN ON NEW YEAR’S EVE TO CHALLENGE KYOJI HORIGUCHI FOR INAUGURAL RIZIN FF 135-POUND TITLE

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LOS ANGELES – Bellator is pleased to announce that the organization’s current bantamweight titleholder Darrion Caldwell (13-1) will represent the promotion in an exciting matchup against 2017 Rizin Bantamweight Grand Prix winner Kyoji Horiguchi (25-2). The two will compete for the inaugural Rizin bantamweight championship at Rizin 14 on Monday, Dec. 31 from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

 

 

 

In the three-round (15-minute) Rizin FF world championship bout – which will be held in a ring under Rizin’s unique rule set – the victor of Caldwell vs. Horiguchi will leave Japan’s historic combat sports venue a Rizin FF champion. Caldwell’s Bellator bantamweight title will not be on the line in the contest.

 

 

 

The latest agreement between Bellator and Rizin FF furthers a collaboration between the two companies which has seen multiple athletes, including Fedor Emelianenko, “King Mo” Lawal and Hisaki Kato amongst others, compete interpromotionally, but never before has a title from either promotion been on the line.

 

 

 

“Working for the Japanese fight company K-1 was a magical time during my promotional career and I have always felt strongly that MMA in the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ would rise again. It truly is amazing to see what Nobuyuki Sakakibara has been able to do thus far with Rizin FF, so when he reached out to me about putting Darrion Caldwell against Kyoji Horiguchi for Rizin’s belt, we spoke to Darrion and he jumped at the opportunity,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “Bellator wants to support Rizin, and by sending our bantamweight champion to compete during their New Year’s Eve event, we look forward to this leading towards more collaboration between the two promotions in 2019. I want to wish Darrion luck in his quest to prove he is the best 135-pound fighter on the planet.”

 

 

 

“I am very grateful and honored that Bellator and Scott Coker would send us their unarguable bantamweight champion to fight for Rizin’s first-ever world title fight. This title fight will be a true champion vs. champion to determine the world’s best bantamweight fighter,” Rizin FF President Nobuyuki Sakakibara said. “We hope this kind gesture will kick off of a series of exciting matchups between both promotions in 2019. My dream would be that eventually we can co-promote a mega event in both countries with a ‘Champion Carnival’ taking place where stories and rivalries can be built and told.”

 

 

 

Caldwell, a 30-year-old Rahway, N.J. native and the current Bellator bantamweight champion, most recently moved up a weight class to challenge himself, successfully finishing veteran Noad Lahat. Fighting out of San Diego, Calif., “The Wolf” has emerged as one of the most well-rounded fighters in the world, collecting 10 victories since signing with Bellator in 2013. The 2009 NCAA D-1 National Champion wrestler from NC State boasts a resume that includes five first-round finishes, a 25-minute war against Eduardo Dantas to claim the world title and a textbook guillotine choke submission victory over Leandro Higo in his first career title defense earlier this year. Caldwell will look for fifth consecutive win and a second world title belt when he enters the ring against Kyoji Horiguchi on New Year’s Eve in Japan.

 

 

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

FITETV, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rizin FF

FITE TV to LIVE Stream ACB 57 FREE and RIZIN 2017 PPV this weekend; WATCH HERE!

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ACB 57 Payback – Magomedov vs Yan 2 – Live and FREE Saturday 4/15 10:00AM ET – From Moscow

ACB 57 Payback features the rematch of the highly contested first meeting between current ACB Bantamweight Champion Magomed Magomedov (13-1 MMA) and Petr Yan (6-1 MMA) as well as a co-main event of Alexander Sarnavskiy (35-5 MMA) vs Eduard Vartanyan (15-3 MMA).

 

For the full card visit our ACB 57 event page at: https://www.fite.tv/watch/acb-57-magomedov-vs-yan/2jjrk/

ACB 57: Magomedov vs Yan (Прямая трансляция) Live Stream

RIZIN 2017 Sakura PPV $14.99 – Kawajiri vs Birchak – Sunday 2AM ET Live from Yokohama Arena, Japan

RIZIN returns with the pageantry and non-stop action that has defined Japanese MMA! In the main event Japanese MMA legend Tatsuya “Crusher” Kawajiri (35-11-2 MMA) vs Anthony Birchak (12-3 MMA) from the U.S. and a co-main event that features wrestling powerhouse Amir Aliakbari (5-1 MMA) against the powerful and experienced Brazilian Gerônimo Dos Santos (39-17). The card also features MMA superstars Kyoji Horiguchi, Heath Herring, Olympic Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii, UFC veteran Daron Cruickshank and more!

For the full card visit our RIZIN 2017 event page at: https://www.fite.tv/watch/rizin-2017-in-yokohama/2jn62/

RIZIN 2017 in Yokohama Live Stream

Fight Network, mixed martial arts, UFC

Fight Network Presents ONE Championship 26, Enfusion 28 & UFC 186 Coverage LIVE this Weekend

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TORONTO | NEW YORK (April 22, 2015) — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a blockbuster card from ONE Championship live this Friday, April 24 at 7:30 a.m. ET, as  emanates from SM MOA Arena in Manila, Philippines, headlined by polarizing welterweight champion Ben Askren facing one of his toughest tests to date against 71-fight veteranLuis “Sapo” Santos.

 

Airing live exclusively in Canada, ONE Championship: Valor of Champions will also feature a co-main event bantamweight clash between Filipino standout Mark Striegl and undefeated American Casey Suire, plus Filipino flyweight prospect Eugene Toquero meets Indonesia’s Brianata Rosadhi. Rounding out the card, Canadian heavyweight powerhouse Paul Cheng battles Ukrainian Igor Subora, Thai flyweight Anatpong Bunrad throws down with Filipino sensation Geje Eustaquio, plus Jimmy Yabo tangles with Edward Kelly in a clash of Filipino featherweight contenders.

 

The full fight card for ONE Championship: Valor of Champions includes:

 

-Ben Askren (14-0) vs. Luis Santos (61-9-1) – ONE welterweight title
-Mark Striegl (13-1) vs. Casey Suire (5-0)
-Eugene Toquero (5-1) vs. Brianata Rosadhi (1-1)
-Paul Cheng (5-1) vs. Igor Subora (5-2)
-Anatpong Bunrad (4-1) vs. Geje Eustaquio (6-3)
-Jimmy Yabo (4-0) vs. Edward Kelly (5-2)
-Shannon Wiratchai (3-1) vs. Amir Khan (2-1)
-Tsu Notto (2-0) vs. Ya Wei Wang (1-1)

 

The live action continues on Saturday, April 25 at 3 p.m. ET, as Enfusion Live 28 invades the Ice Hockey Stadium in Zilina, Slovakia, featuring Slovakia’s Tomas Senkyr against Morocco’s Ibrahim El Boustati for the -85kg world title, plus Slovakia’s Vladimir Moravcik meets Frenchman Yohan Lidon in a five-round Muay Thai affair. The card also features a one-night, single-elimination -70kg tournament showcasing Milan Pales vs. Brahim Benameur and Tigran Movsisyan vs.Mohammed Jaraya in opening round matchups.

 

Fight Network’s live Enfusion broadcast at 3 p.m. ET will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and in Turkey on D-Smart.

 

On Saturday, April 25, Fight Network will present its UFC 186 Pre-Show Live at7 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis ahead of UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi on pay-per-view. Immediately following the main card, Fight Network presents the UFC 186 Post-Show Live, which will include the live post-fight press conference from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

 

In addition to all the live pre and post-fight coverage, Fight Network is the destination for UFC library content, specials and series, including UFC Unleashed, UFC Now and UFC Ultimate Insider. All airings are listed at tv.fightnetwork.com.

 

Post-fight coverage continues on Monday’s edition of 5 Rounds on Fight Network, which debuts at 7 p.m. ET and features a comprehensive breakdown of Saturday’s event.

 

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
mixed martial arts, UFC

Mendon Twin Drive-In to show UFC 186 this Saturday night

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MENDON, Mass. (April 20, 2015) – The newly renovated Mendon Twin Drive-In will be a closed circuit site for this Saturday night’s UFC 186 from historic Bell Centre in Montreal. Mendon Twin Drive-In (www.mendondrivein.com) is located at 35 Milford St. in Mendon, MA.

 

Tickets may be purchased at the Mendon Twin Drive-In gate the day of the event only (gates open at 6 p.m. ET), or in advance by going on line at www.aceticket.com. Regular admission is $25.00 per car (maximum of six per vehicle) with a $50.00 VIP ticket per car available that includes priority parking and a weekday drive-in pass. People may watch the UFC 186 action from their car or sit at Pop’s Beer Garden.

 

 

FREE ADMISSION

To the first 100 cars from the Blackstone Valley area (driver’s ID required)

 

 

“I’m excited to show some of the best conditioned and skilled athletes in the world live on one of the biggest screens in New England,” Mendon Twin Drive-In co-owner Dave Andelman said.

 

Preliminary bouts start at 6:30 p.m. ET with the main card fights commencing at10 p.m. ET. World Flyweight Champion Demetrius “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (21-2-1), No. 3 in the UFC pound-for-pound ratings, headlines the main card in a title defense against No. 8 contender Kyoji Horiguchi (15-1-0).

 

Also fighting on the main card is middleweight Michael “The Count” Bisping(26-7-0) vs. CB “The Doberman” Dollaway (16-7-0), light heavyweight Fabio Maldonado (22-7-0) vs. Steve Bosse (10-1-0), John “The Bull” Makdessi(12-3-0) vs. Shane Campbell (11-2-0) at a 160-pound catch-weight, and bantamweight Yves “Tiger” Jabouin (20-9-0) vs. Thomas “Thominhas” Almeida (18-0-0).

Follow on Twitter @Mendondrivein.